A neurogenetic mechanism of experience-dependent suppression of aggression

Abstract

Aggression is an ethologically important social behavior, but excessive aggression can be detrimental to fitness. Social experiences among conspecific individuals reduce aggression in many species, the mechanism of which is largely unknown. We found that loss-of-function mutation of nervy ( nvy ), a Drosophila homolog of vertebrate myeloid translocation genes (MTGs), increased aggressiveness only in socially experienced flies and that this could be reversed by neuronal expression of human MTGs. A subpopulation of octopaminergic/tyraminergic neurons labeled by nvy was specifically required for such social experience–dependent suppression of aggression, in both males and females. Cell type–specific transcriptomic analysis of these neurons revealed aggression-controlling genes that are likely downstream of nvy . Our results illustrate both genetic and neuronal mechanisms by which the nervous system suppresses aggression in a social experience–dependent manner, a poorly understood process that is considered important for maintaining the fitness of animals.